Carrying case or bag



Jan. 13, 1942. P. GREENSTEIN CARRYING CASE 0R BAG Fi1ed` June 3, 1939 1NVEN 0R..

ATTORNEYS Patented dan. i3, 1942 UNETED STATES PATENT GFFICE The present invention comprises a novel form of carrying case designed especially for holding sport equipment such as a tennis racket or rackets, tennis or similar shoes, tennis balls,

sweat shirts or sweaters, or the like.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a case of the above character susceptible of being readily made from cloth, canvas, or similar fabric material and adapted to be extended in an elongated condition when employed for enclosing or receiving longer objects, such as tennis rackets, but when not' utilized for such longer objects, susceptible of being folded into a more compact condition, combined with handle straps or the like usable when the case is either folded or extended in its elongated condition.

A special feature of the invention lies in the provision of peculiar handle means for use in the manner above stated, together with a desirable and advantageous arrangement of fastening means for facilitating the opening and closing of the case, the latter being in the nature of the well known Talon or Zipper fastening appliances.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inl

which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the carrying case as when extended and adapted to contain one or two tennis rackets, a side of the case being shown partially opened as permitted after manipulation of the fastening means.

Figure 2 is a top plan view showing the carrying case in closed condition, the pocket members at a side of the case, and the disposition of the handle means, as when the case is in extended or elongated condition.

Figure 3 is an edgewise View of the carrying case, as when it is folded, so that the opposite portions thereof beyond the medial line are spaced apart, certain of the pockets being received between these portions, and the handle means being shifted from the position of Figure 1 to the position of Figures 3 and 4 to facilitate the carrying of the case when it is in its folded condition.

Figure 4 is a View in side elevation of the carrying case or bag in folded condition,

Referring to the drawing, I denotes the body of the carrying case of my invention, and the same is made preferably of cloth or fabric material of some kind, Waterproof or not, as may be desired, said body comprising opposite spaced designed to facilitate lateral expansion of the body to contain objects of different kinds.

Along a medial line longitudinally of the body, the bellows fold 2 is equipped with sliding fasteners preferably of the Talon or Zipper type designated 3, the same being manipulatable by a pull member 4 in each instance. Preferably, the fasteners are so arranged that they extend in opposite directions from a medial point 5 in the uppermost portion of the bellows fold 2, and the pull members 4 when disposed adjacent to the lower right hand portion corners of the case, as

seen in Figure 1, will maintain the body I in a y closed condition.

I preferably provide at one side of the body I, pockets 6 which may be of somewhat expansible construction, by the provision ofy bellowsffolds I, and in these pocket members may be -placed any sporting equipment, such as a sweat shirt, sweater, dress, or other similar articles, as may be desired.

Small articles likewise may be contained in the pockets 6, and these pockets are provided with closing flaps 8, which may be held closed by means of suitable snap fasteners S, or the like.

When the carrying case is in its extended position of Figures 1 and 2, it is obvious that it is elongated, and itis possible to place within the case one or two tennis rackets disposed in the manner illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1.

When larger or longer objects such as tennis rackets are not desired to be carried in the carrying case, I contemplate folding the same in the manners shown in Figures 3 and 4, so that the opposite ends of the body may be brought fairly close together in somewhat spaced relation with the pockets interposed therebetween, see Figure 3;

With the carrying case thus folded, it is quite excellently adapted for use as a holder for many articles such as above mentioned, excepting, of course, long objects like a tennis racket.

If desired, on the side of the body I opposite that having the pockets 'I, there may be provided a small pocket I0 with a flap I I, and snap fastener I2, to hold the flap closed. This pocket I0 may be utilized for carrying tennis balls in a very advantageous manner, or small objects of a similar nature.

Now for facilitating the carrying of my carrying case or bag from place to place, I provide two handle members I3 and I4 which are of similar length and are made of simple strap formation. These handles I3 are attached to the outer sides sides connected together by a bellows fold 2 55 of the bag or case I by means of snap fasteners I5, and the handles are adapted to extend up Wardly from the upper edge of the case I in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2 when the case is to be carried in its elongated or extended condition. However, when the case is folded, as in Figures 3 and 4, the handles are susceptible of being shifted about the snap fastenings I5 as an axis, said axis being common to the fastenings I5 for the ends of the handles and perpendicular approximately to the planes of the folded sides, and made to extend upwardly from the free upper ends of the case, as shown in Figure 3, whereupon one handle, that one on the side of the body I, will lie within the other handle, that one on the other side of the body I after the manner fully illustrated in said Figure 3, but both handles may be grasped under these conditions, and because of the central location of the fasteners I5, the handles will hold the case and its contents in substantially balanced condition for facilitating the carrying thereof.

The provision of the snap fasteners I5 an attaching means for the handles IS and ILI provides a sort of swivel-lil ze connection between the handles and the body I of the case that readily permits of the swinging of the handles from the position of Figures 1 and 2 to the position of Figures 3 and 4.

If desired, the handles I3 and It. may be detached from the carrying case so as to lie flat in a package containing the latter, when the is packed for sale or shipment.

It is contemplated within the scope of my in- Vention that different kinds and shapes of pockets than those designated I and I@ may be utilized, and any suitable number of these pockets may be employed within the purview of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A carrying case of the class described, an elongated body containing a pocket the entire length of the body, closure means affording access from the ends and the top thereof, handle means the ends of which are pivotally fastened to the same side of the body at points near the ends thereof, the body being foldable to bring the ends thereof adjacent to each other, the pivotal connections connecting the ends of the handle means to the body being about on a common axis approximately centrally the sides of the body in its folded condition, and the axes of said pivotal connections near the ends of the body being parallel to each other when the body is in its unfolded condition.

2. A carrying case of the class described, an elongated body containing a pocket the entire length of the body, closure means affording access from the ends and the top thereof, two handles of similar length the ends of which are pivotally fastened to the sides of the body at points near the ends thereof, the body being foldable to bring the ends thereof adjacent to each other, the pivotal connections connecting the ends of the handles to the body being on a common axis approximately centrally the sides of the body in its folded condition, the ends of one of said handles being enclosed between the end portions of said folded body, the other of said handles having its ends outside of said folded body, and the axes of said pivotal connections near the ends of the body being parallel to each other when the body is in its unfolded condition.

PHILLIP GREENSTEIN. 

